Bar Chinois Brings a Boisterous Vibe to National Landing

Three words many folks long to hear are “I love you.” I get a similar serotonin boost from “They’ve got dumplings!” So my excitement was palpable when D.C.’s celebrated Bar Chinois opened a second location in National Landing in June. Let’s just say its combo of French-inspired cocktails and Chinese small plates makes my heart sing.

Settling in with some pals on a Friday evening, I get right down to business with an order of juicy pork and shrimp wontons floating in a sesame-soy vinaigrette spiked with chili oil. The next dish to arrive is chicken and shrimp shumai, rendered crunchy with water chestnuts, carrots and a topping of fried garlic. They go down easy, paired with a martini made with olive brine and Shaoxing wine. I can also vouch for the tasty, tequila-based Coco Marseille flavored with basil, Suze French bitters, lime juice and coconut.

Ordering with abandon, we move on to the kitchen’s standout chive dumplings, which have a soft texture reminiscent of turnip cakes. Packed with chopped garlic chives, the herbaceous dough is steamed and then deep-fried, and tastes like a spring garden. The dish is complemented by a sambal-laced soy and black vinegar dipping sauce. 

I’m a longtime fan of the two chefs who created and oversee the menus at both Bar Chinois locations. Prapavadee “Lekki” Limvatana grew up in Thailand’s north-central Uttaradit province, where her Hainanese-Thai family operated a shophouse specializing in local fare such as fried mudfish and stingrays. Satang Ruangsangwatana is a self-taught cook, born and raised in Bangkok. The two met in 2011 while working at D.C. Noodles (now closed) and have collaborated on various projects through the years, including a food truck called Fat Nomads that turned into a supper club and online pop-up. At the time of this writing, they were preparing to open a brick-and-mortar restaurant in Bethesda called Six Ways to Sunday.

Bar Chinois’ expansion into Arlington came about when developer JBG Smith was looking for a local, go-to restaurant that would attract a nighttime crowd to the ground floor of the Grace and Reva apartments in National Landing. “We got excited because it reminded us of when we first moved into Mount Vernon Square [in D.C.],” says Dean Mosones, who co-owns both restaurants with Mark Minicucci and Margaux Donati. “[It’s] a newer neighborhood with a confluence of business and residential, with people who live and work there.” 

If my Friday night experience is any indication, that coveted nighttime crowd got the memo. All 80 seats inside, including 15 at the bustling bar, and the 40 patio seats outside are full. The vibe is moody, broody and young, with red pendant lights, cane-backed bistro chairs, exposed ductwork and a teal-and-black accent wall as set dressing. A cacophony of chattering voices and blaring music bounces off the concrete ceiling, walls and floors, the house shaking from the boom-boom of the bass. 

A red neon sign in Mandarin above the bar translates to “Welcome, friends.” But be warned: At 84 decibels (think motorcycle or food blender), hearing what those friends have to say may be off the table. 

The place is fun enough, though I fully cop to being a fuddy duddy and not a member of Bar Chinois’ target demographic. It’s no accident my next visit is on a Sunday afternoon at 4:30 when the noise level is a more tolerable 72 decibels, allowing for normal conversation.

Limvatana’s and Ruangsangwatana’s food merits fanfare. Crab Rangoon has enjoyed a hip revival of late, and their version is everything you’d want it to be—crispy, cream cheese-y and rife with surimi and real crab meat, plus scallions and lemon zest for extra oomph. The Hoisin pork ribs are fall-off-the-bone tender, gooey and worthy of a finger-licking. 

Shrimp bao, its crustaceans perfectly fried with a delicate, tempura-like coating, get a kick of heat from sriracha aioli and chili oil. The spring rolls filled with pulled duck confit are far superior to the dreary egg rolls served at so many Chinese restaurants. 

Less successful are the unremarkable ha gow (steamed shrimp dumplings). The filling for the empanada-like “gyoza de boeuf,” a blend of ground beef, caramelized onion and Gruyere, is meant to mimic French onion soup, but this good idea on paper comes off more La Choy than Oh, boy! 

My favorite entree is the simplest. The 1970s garlic noodles, a tangle of ramen noodles, shiitake mushrooms and spinach, are bathed in garlic butter and lush with umami, courtesy of a house blend of soy, oyster and fish sauces, plus sesame oil. A garnish of shredded Parmesan takes this dish to perfection. 

The menu also includes rice bowls with toppers such as char siu chicken or five-spice pork belly. I’m partial to the version featuring crispy-skinned salmon, which is bathed in sake and grilled with a honey miso glaze. The fish is prepared nicely medium and custardy in the center, showing off the kitchen’s prowess.  

There are three desserts. I’m weary of matcha creme brulee (must we matcha-fy everything?) but give a thumbs up to the chocolate cheesecake and the profiteroles filled with ice cream. 

All in all, I like the place. A neon sign in French on one of its walls says, Quelle belle surprise de vous voir ici, which means, “What a surprise to see you here.” That would indeed be true if I were to return on an ear-splitting Friday night. But be sure to say hello when I’m chowing down on dumplings on a peaceful and conversationally conducive Sunday afternoon.

Bar Chinois

244 19th Court S. #105, Arlington
703-416-6769

Hours 
Monday through Saturday: 4 to 11 p.m.
Sunday: 4 to 10 p.m.

Parking
Street parking is limited. If you can’t find a spot, try the parking garage on 18th Street between Bell Street and Crystal Drive.

Prices
Dumplings: $10 to $12
Small plates: $11 to $16
Entrees: $14 to $23
Desserts: $7 to $9

What To Drink

Of the 10 craft cocktails ($14 to $21), seven are fruit forward. Try the Lucky Snake (grapefruit gin, Jamaican rum, dragon fruit, ginger, passionfruit, lemon and clarified milk) and Mousse a la Peche (Cognac, peach, lime, orgeat and thyme foam). The booze forward options include a rum-based espresso martini flavored with coconut and pandan. Fourteen wines are available by the glass ($14 to $19) and bottle ($52 to $115), among them two sparklers, two rosés, five whites and five reds. There are also five bottled beers ($5 to $10).